Talks by Ethan Michaels:

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• The Sound of Heaven: A Mysterious Stranger's Quest – Author Ethan Michaels shares a sneak peak of his new novella of speculative fiction.​

​Talks by local historian and author, Robin Kring:​

   Colorado History

• Colorado's "White Gold" – Memories of Our Sugar Beet Days and Great Western Sugar Company.

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• “Tiny” Hill’s BIGGEST Times – Memories of America’s Biggest Band Leader and Our Most-Famous Dairy Farmer (Biggest in popularity and 365 lbs. of stature).

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• Strolling through Elmwood – A virtual stroll through Elmwood to meet some of the cemetery’s most intriguing and not-be-forgotten history figures. 

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   Victoriana

• The Secret Language of the Victorian Fan – A fascinating look into a secret messaging shared by Victorians in the parlor/ballroom, using hand fans, A discreet positioning the fan, in various gestures, enabled a secret courting communication within the confines of yesteryear's highly restrictive rules of etiquette.  A brief history of the hand fan is shared, as well as an interactive opportunity to send and receive coded messages (using a fan the guest is invited to keep). 

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• The Victorian Decorum of Visiting Cards – An investigation inside the Mysterious Manners of Yesteryear by the Brighton History Detective. What was the secret meaning behind the ever-changing border width on Mourning Visiting Cards? What did the secret language of various folds on a card signal? And, why was the Victorian Entry Hall considered a “silent monitor of access?” Join the Brighton History Detective investigate these questions and more in a special Victoriana Presentation you won’t want to miss!

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• Victorian Mourning Customs: Morbid or Comforting? Their worst fear of death wasn’t death itself, but the fear of not being properly mourned. Queen Victoria mourned her beloved Prince Albert 40 years of her 60 year reign. Wearing widow's mourning clothing and sleeping next to Prince Albert bed clothes and a plaster cast of his hand, were only a few of the strict rituals she imposed on her household. Discover how this influenced the strict rules of mourning, were practiced by the Victorians throughout her reign--with some still existing today. Investigate some of their common superstitions of death, such as the fear of being buried alive and eating funeral cakes to "eat away the deceased sins."  See complimentary "Victorian Funeral Biscuit Recipe" download.

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   Cemetery Chats​

• Voices from Beyond the Graves: A History of Elmwood Cemetery and Its Most Mysterious Stories  – Step back in time as the cemetery tells its own story of its original garden park design and beginnings. Discover the town father’s and an undertaker’s hand in its establishment—and, why they are both mysteriously missing from the grounds. Hear how some of the historic and famous tombstones reveal mysteries of the cemetery and even speak stories of murder, tragedy, and atrocity.  See complimentary "A Brighton Undertaker's Lore" download.

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• A Tombstone Tourist Guide to Hidden Symbolism – Have you ever paused to listen closer to what else the tombstone is telling you through its hidden symbolism? Take a virtual trek through the cemetery with local author and historian, Robin Kring, and discover how to decipher the secret messages embedded in a stone’s engravings and shapes. Examine the language of comfort, tribute, and even warning of the tombstone’s imagery, and learn to discern the more mysterious customs of graveyard art and design. See complimentary "Planning Your Own Tombstone Trek"  download.

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